


Regret Reset Repeat

by IAmTheUltimateGleek



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Heavy Angst, mentions suicidal thoughts, possible trigger warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-03 18:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5301536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmTheUltimateGleek/pseuds/IAmTheUltimateGleek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"...thought we agreed to not have any more bad times kiddo?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The first time had been three months after breaking the barrier. 

The reunion of humans and monsters had been moving slowly, but well none the less. 

Everyone so far had been more than accepting and the council that spoke on behalf of the world above had deemed none of the monsters to be an immediate threat.

Which took a huge amount of stress away from the rest of the world, who now were opening up more and more to their fallen brethren.

A few monsters managed to find homes, some were given jobs right off the bat, and more so than ever everyone was filled with hope.

Hope for better lives. Hope for new futures. Hope for everything.

Even Frisk, who was the official speaker on the Underground's behalf. The job wasn't too demanding, but the weight if its responsibility was neither easily forgotten.

Everyone was counting on Frisk 24/7 to be the hero they had proved to be in the Underground.

The small human could see the new air of determination that filled all of their family though. And the fact alone made almost every one of their actions worth while.

Papyrus and Undyne were happily working as personal body guards for Frisk and Asgore when council meetings were held.

Toriel had used the money of her intergraded school for humans and monsters to buy herself and Frisk a home.

Sans putting in ACTUAL EFFORT to help Grillby rebuild a new restaurant for the above ground.

Everyone and everything was going so well...

That it only made sense to Frisk for the peace not to last.

It had been a shock to say the least. 

One moment they had been lying in bed, fast asleep. Their dreams filled with their snowflakes and memories of meeting his favorite brothers.

They were skiing around across the deserted pond. Laughter barely contained as not a single care in the world crossed their minds.

The next second and poof. Gone.

Suddenly Frisk was standing before a pile of dust. The off hue color seeming so ill fit against the pure white snow it laid upon.

In their hand the glint off of something unrecognizable and sharp.

But it felt right to hold.

It was not the grey dust that drew their attention to the ground though.

No, it had been the orange cape. Torn and crumbled laying beneath the ashes of the deceased skeleton that made their heart skip so maddeningly.

They had done it.

There was no question about it.

They could feel the disturbed smile stretching across their face. Twisting around the humanity that drained away from red eyes.

All around the human could hear bystanders screech. Foolishly running away to evacuate the town. Cries for help, feet crunching against the snow, as monsters everywhere called for someone to help. 

A voice in their head told them the warnings would do no good.

Frisk had awoken seconds later in a cold sweat. Every nerve in their body on edge as their teeth clattered together.

It was summer, and yet the small human had never felt so cold.

Too real.

Too vivid.

Too many feelings to be felt at 3 in the morning.

They denied it. Called it a nightmare and brushed off the feeling of bile sliming away at the back of their throat.

They felt sick.

They felt dirty in their own skin.

It was nothing.

It was nothing!

No such thing ever happened. They never ever had hurt Papyrus or anyone in Snowdin.

Feeling awful still though, Frisk couldnt help themselves and blindly began to reached over to their nightstand. 

It was nothing.

So why did they still feel so scared?

Pulling over their phone, the small human sent a quick text to Papyrus. 

Something simple so as not to alarm the taller brother.

"Hey Pap. Know it's late, but I was wondering if I left my locket at your place?"

Not even a full minute later a response came back.

"HUMAN! GOODNESS IT IS LATE! I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG! DO NOT WORRY! I THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHALL GO SEARCH FOR YOUR BELOVED LOCKET AT ONCE!"

Smiling in relief, Frisk quickly sent back a response.

"Wait never mind! It just fell in the laundry. Sorry Paps!"

"NYE HEH HEH HEH! ALL IS WELL! I AM GLAD YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR KEEPSAKE HUMAN! I SHALL SEE YOU TOMORROW! GOOD NIGHT!"

Despite the comfort of being reassured that their friend was safe and sound, Frisk didn't sleep until the very first light of dawn began to brush through the shuttered blinds and into their room.

Only than did the exhaustion finally rest away their quaking heart.


	2. Chapter 2

The second time had been two weeks after the first.

Frisk had been awake.

Awake and not alone.

"...okay okay....alright how bout this? what did the police cow say to the felon?"

Barely able to contain their smile, the small human shrugged their shoulders in anticipation.

"....you're UDDER arrest for MOOder!"

From within the kitchen Frisk could hear Papyrus banging his head against the wall.

Again.

They also could see Toriel covering her mouth to stifle her giggles. 

Again.

It seemed Sans pun run was still going strong. 13 down, a lot more to go.

Having noticed Papyrus leaning over the countertop and into the living room, the small human waved happily. 

The taller skeleton of course smiled back before narrowed his sockets at his brother.

The relative connivence of having the two rooms open to one another allowed Papyrus and Toriel to keep an eye on them both. However it also made it impossible not to hear every single joke.

"I THE GREAT PAPYRUS HERE BY MARK THAT YOU HAVE EXCEEDED YOUR ALLOWANCE OF PUNS! FOR THIS DAY...POSSIBLY EVEN THIS WEEK!"

"aw Frisk is the one who wants to hear them bro. im just helpin a pal out!"

"THE HUMAN MAY DO AS THEY WISH BUT I HAVE HEARD ALL OF THESE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE!"

Sans shrugged and winked casually.

"classics never die bro."

Huffing out in mock irritation, the taller of the two brothers turned back to return to his culinary works.

Papyrus was no fool. He knew Sans extra punny attitude was always because Toriel was around. 

The goat mother never failed to find each and every god awful joke hilarious. 

She'd giggle, or snort ungracefully, or literally kneel over onto something and wheeze as tears pricked at her eyes.

Sans practically glowed at her laughter.

And while of course he supported his brother's desire to make the former queen smile, he could only take so many play on words.

"alright I got a new one just for you Paps....why do skeletons get mad so easily?"

From the couch Frisk could see Papyrus slow down with his stirring and glare over at Sans.

Both reluctant and genuinely curious.

"...WHY?"

"...because they've got lotsa BONES to pick with people!"

Toriel tried hard, and failed, not to snort. While Papyrus screeched at his brother to stop.

Sans merely chuckled and shrugged.

14 down, and probably still more to come.

The human always found the routine of theirs funny. 

Sans would hang out with them all morning on the weekends. They'd kid around, and eventually either Toriel would tell them to spare Papyrus another headache, or the taller skeleton would give in and begin throwing back a few good natured retorts. Sometimes Mettaton and Naostablook would join in. Other times Undyne and Alphys.

But most of the time it was just the brothers, Frisk, and Toriel.

Sans and the small child use to help out in the kitchen as well. But after one too many close calls with a certain tall skeleton's cooking catastrophes, Toriel opted to have them both wait in the living room.

A safe distance from any possible fires, sharp projectiles, or egg bombs.

Not to say that Papyrus wasn't improving, he certainly tried hard. After all cooking was his side passion when there was no need to guard Asgore or Frisk. 

However he was still a long way off from being the Master Chef he believed himself to be.

It was okay though because Toriel was patient, and more than happy to show the eager brother the basics. Steadily and surely easing him up to mediocre before allowing him anywhere near preparing a main dish.

Papyrus also thought it was a fun way of bonding for everyone regardless and that was all that mattered.

That day though, they just so happened to be making pie. 

Toriel's famous recipe.

Now most would assume that the scent of cinnamon and butterscotch would be the last thing to trigger such horrific visions. 

And yet still Frisk found their mental state helpless to stop the onslaught.

One second passed between Sans latest joke.

Then suddenly an image of the goat mother crying burned itself into human's eyes.

The former queen was choking back tears. There was a slash across her left side that looked as painful as the ungodly smile resting upon her bleeding face.

"To think I was worried you wouldn't fit in out there....You really ARE no different than them."

She fell to her knees. Laughing with no real humor. Toriel looked up at them as though the betrayal had hurt more than her approaching death.

Perhaps it did. 

They would never know.

Because her body disappeared into nothingness before Frisk could even think to ask.

Just like before, what felt like a lifetime ended and the human found themselves back upon Toriel's couch.

Safe, knife-less, and with no remains of a twisted smile on their face.

"NYEH HEH HEH HEH!"

"PAPYRUS! Dear, I know you're eager but you can not set the oven for 5000!"

Frisk could hear their goat mother's laughter from the kitchen. Her actual laughter, and not the nightmarish chiming that still rung in their ears.

Happy.

Safe.

Alive.

She was not hurt, she was fine.

Frisk wondered if it was possible to have a nightmare during consciousness.

"...you okay kid? ya look a little pale."

They were momentarily startled.

They'd forgotten they weren't alone.

Frisk peered up just in time to see blue flames dissipating from San's left eye. Weak smoke trails fading upwards as the skeleton's grin remained unchanged.

For a moment Frisk could feel inside's clench. Their throat ran dry as their skin crawled with chills.

It felt like their heart was being gripped from the inside out.

The feeling was unnervingly sinister.

And familiar.

Why would the sight of his friend's socket burning make their stomach churn?

Was it fear? 

Why should they have any reason to ever fear Sans? 

Was it remorse? 

What was there to regret?

The human nodded only once. 

The softest of voices being spoken. Which was rare enough considering Frisk's condition.

"M'fine." 

Sans knew how hard it was for the human to speak. Even small words made their throats unbearably dry and sore. 

The fact alone that they even uttered a word meant they most definitely were not fine.

"ya sure?...you look like you saw something scary...buddy."

For whatever reason, Frisk felt as though Sans wasn't using the term "buddy" in a friendly way.

It sounded more like a warning if anything.

Before they could retort with sign language or attempt speaking again, Papyrus called for them both to come eat.

Whatever tenseness had passed between the two was forgotten by the time the dishes were washed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Be sure to let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be sure to let me know what you think so far!

The third and final time happened only a few days after the second.

"FRISK! FRISK!"

Alphys and Undyne had more or less burst into Toriel's home one morning. Each practically shaking with excitement.

"FRISK GOTTA COME EMERGENCY NOW!"

Undyne basically carried Frisk out of the house with Alphys rushing close behind. The two shouted reassurances to Toriel that they'd have the human back by lunch. 

Whether or not the goat mother had even given her "okay" was lost to the chaos of the two loud girlfriends.

"MEW MEW KISSY CUTIE 3 FRISK! THEY MADE A THIRD INSTALLMENT WITH NO PRIOR NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC!"

Frisk nearly had to cover their ears in the car. It MUST have been thrilling news considering the reptilian scientist hadn't stuttered once in her entire rant. 

Plus she'd raised her voice to a near shouting level, which Undyne visibly beamed at.

"She's been screamin bout this since this morning kid! Were ordered the tickets right before we left ta pick you up!"

Literally pick up.

Frisk had to smile at the irony. 

Normally such a happy energy coming from their friends would have filled the small human with determination. 

This time though was different...they felt an uneasiness in their heart. 

Like something awful was going to happen.

They tried to decline at first.

"What! Kid?! You love MEW MEW KISSY CUTIE!"

Undyne almost looked like she was pouting.

"Y-yeah Frisk! We w-wouldn't wanna see it if you d-didn't come with!"

Alphys WAS unapologetically pouting.

Both girls clearly wanted to fangirl over the movie, but only with their favorite human at their side.

Who was Frisk to say no?

Besides the two girls had been so busy with setting up Alphys new laboratory lately, that the human figured a few hours away from reality would do them all some good.

Maybe even an hour or two of nothing but animation would make them forget the visions.

So despite the ominous feeling that laid heavily in their stomach, Frisk put on their best grin and accepted the offer without any further hesitation.

Anyways what kind of excuse was there to give?

That they didn't want to trouble them?

They were already in the car!

That they didn't feel well? 

No, Toriel would rush them to the doctors.

That they were nervous? That they were having night terrors that happened at any time? That they felt like crying over actions they never even committed?

...That everything they saw felt more like memories than imagination?

The human shook away the idea.

The human never laid a hand on ANYONE during their time in the Underground. It was a fact! Not one monster had received anything other than mercy from them.

Hell even when they had reentered the surface Frisk had never once been anything other than a kind soul.

And yet somewhere deep down they knew it all was linking too well together.

The smile, the red eyes, the laughter...

Something about the feeling Frisk felt after every recollection felt sickeningly familiar. To the point where the small human was surprised as to why Toriel had yet to ask why they looked so nauseous?

Then again it wouldn't have been exactly nice to respond with "Oh you know cause I murdered you and it kinda shook me up a little. Don't worry I'm fine."

No that would probably send their goat mother into cardiac arrest if anything.

Instead Frisk sucked it up and allowed their nerves to bury deep inside. They wouldn't want to inconvenience their family. Perhaps their determination alone could probably bare the burden.

At least. Thats what Frisk had thought until the movie had come close to ending.

For at the final climatic moment, the hero of the tale was revealed to be the antagonist all along. The one the whole audience had been routing for, the savior, the master of everyone's fates...turned out to be a murderous demon in disguise.

Alphys nearly had a conniption.

"T-this is awful! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO MEW MEW KISSY CUTIE?!"

Undyne threw her popcorn at the shushing audience members behind her and slung her arm around her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Aw shut ya traps back there! My girl can be mad if she wants. Little creep stabbed em all in the back without even blinking!"

"I-I DEMAND JUSTICE FOR KISSY CUTIE!!!"

The two were so lost in the final scene's action sequence that they both overlooked Frisk. Who had such an iron grip on the chair arms that the metal was beginning to bend into their hands.

It all was suddenly coming back.

The timeline where everything had fallen apart. 

When they had killed everything. When every monster feared their name, and saw only merciless red eyes before being chopped to bits.

When Toriel had been cut down. When Papyrus had fallen to ash. When Undyne had melted into nothing. When Alphys had crumbled upon seeing Mettaton's blown apart remains. San's judgement. San's battle. San's final words. Asgore's tear filled eyes. Flowey's final plea to live. Chara. Chara. Chara...

Frisk saw it all. They relieved ever last moment of the hell they helped create.

They remembered everything.

They saw it.

Everything...

Neither of the girlfriends noticed Frisk rush out of the theatre.

Until it was too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter! Be sure to let me know what you think so far!

Frisk knew enough about of the Surface to remember one rule when it came to running away.

And that was to stay low and shut up.

Luckily the silence factor was never a hard issue for Frisk. Their vocal chords had been damaged long before any of the events in the underground so talking in general was a rare thing.

Instead it was the fact that a small child having an anxiety attack while running down busy street tended to gain a lot of attention. 

And a lot of concerned looks.

But Frisk wanted none of the passerby's' worry. 

They only wanted the feeling of tightness in their chest to stop. For their head to stop pounding as though it was breaking through their skull. For their hands and weary legs to stop shaking.

Frisk just wanted for something to make the pain stop. 

But then again why should it? 

Didn't the small human deserve the pain? They had done far worse to every one of the monsters that dared to consider them "a friend".

That right there was what the human supposed was making them sick the most. The guilt. The horrible mind numbing guilt that had been pressing their former sins onto their back since the first flashback. 

They knew they deserved to perish after the genocide. They needed something to even the score. And yet an upset stomach and a rapid heartbeat seemed like nothing compared to murder.

Frisk felt like they were struggling to breathe...but at the same time wishing to drown.

Suddenly no longer able to handle the stares from the people around them, the small human hurried onto an unfamiliar bus.

They didn't care where it was heading so long as it was away from home.

Thankfully the small human was graced with empty seats and a less than kind driver. The second their dollar was inside the meter the man had turned his face away from the crying child's.

With a plop, Frisk sat and leaned their head against the window. 

Who had they ever been trying to fool? Themselves? Maybe...but somewhere deep in their human soul they had felt everything.

Ever last moment of pain and laughter.

And Frisk had known from the start that the things they'd seen were anything but lies. But they had denied it and allowed their mental state to take a critical hit.

Now...now there was no chance of ever facing any of their family ever again.

A kind woman, perhaps Toriel's age in human years, suddenly asked why they were crying so much.

When had she gotten on the bus? 

They couldn't recall, but Frisk cued in a few gestures through sign language. Nothing actually legible just "Flower pie spear flower jump". 

Most people tended to back off a little when they thought the human was deaf. Probably not wanting to struggle with the language barrier.

But unfortunately enough this woman seemed more than willing to continue trying. She pulled out a small pen and a napkin from her purse, making gentle gestures for Frisk to write.

As if Chara gerself had suddenly possessed them again, Frisk felt the urge to scream at the kind stranger.

They just wanted to be alone. Why wouldn't she leave them alone!

A sudden thought though crept into the human's mind as they hastily scribbled something down.

"Got lost, taking bus to go home. Miss my family is all."

A lie. A blatant and pitiful lie.

Luckily though it was enough to please the older woman, who smiled in understanding and wrote back a quick "Im glad! Be careful!", before standing and going to find her own seat away from Frisk.

Possible catastrophe averted. But now the human felt guilty for a whole new reason.

Lying to a woman who reminded them of Toriel. The lie in general really made their conscious buckle.

It wasn't the complete truth, but it wasn't any kind of comfort either.

They did miss their family...but...

They had hurt their family.

They had KILLED their family.

They didn't deserve their family...

Frisk didn't raise their trembling head even when the bus stopped to let the older woman off.

A voice deep back in the human's mind was laughing. Laughing laughing laughing laughing laughing laughing laughing-

Frisk slammed their hands against their head.

Stop. They knew Chara was gone. They knew they had freed her last time. There was no Chara. There was only Frisk.

Somehow the fact alone made them feel even sicker.

A moving flash of the announcement board caught their eye.

Next stop, Northern pass. Last station.

They knew that name. Northern pass.

It was the last usable road that lead to Mt. Ebott's base.

By the time Alphys and Undyne had gotten word to the rest that Frisk had disappeared, chaos had broken out amongst the small family. 

Everyone had dropped what they had been doing and all but sprinted to Toriel's, where the goat mother was panicking.

Full. Blown. Panicking.

"Yes they are small, tan, last seen wearing a blue and purple stripped sweater. They are on the news occasionally? Yes the ambassador for monsters that's right. Its spelt F R I S K. Frisk Dreemurr. Age? About...what?...No they prefer neither...NEITHER. WELL I DON'T CARE WHAT THE PAPERWORK SAYS IM TELLING YOU THAT THEY DO NOT DEFINE AS EITHER AND YOU CAN CHECK MARK A THIRD OPTION-"

The hysterical monster looked to be about two seconds away from setting the phone in her hand ablaze.

Sans could just barely hear the 911 operator's shaking tone.

"Mam please calm down I'm sorry I just-"

"I WILL CALM DOWN WHEN YOU FIND MY CHILD."

Asgore hastily rushed over and took the phone from Toriel after seeing the faintest traces of smoke beginning to sizzle against the edges of the metal device.

Sans quickly rushed to the goat mother's side and nodded to Asgore.

"you talk with the police. Tori why don't ya go online and send a mass email out to the school and the rest of the parents? i'll go talk to the neighbors again."

Brushing away her tears, the older monster bent down to hug the smaller brother tightly. 

"W-where have they gone Sans...w-who has taken my child?"

Sans hated it when Toriel cried. He felt the flame in his left eye socket begin to burn brightly.

"...we'll find em Tori...we'll find Frisk and we will find whoever did this."

Without another word, Sans teleported out of the house.

"TORIEL! WHERE DID SANS JUST GO?"

Turning around, the goat monster found herself face to face with a worried looking Papyrus.

"He's on his way out to go talk with the neighbors again. D-did you or Undyne have any luck?"

Straightening up, the taller skeleton saluted quickly.

"IM SORRY TO SAY WE HAVE NOT YOUR MAJESTY! UNDYNE IS STILL SEARCHING. I HAVE COME BACK TO TELL YOU ALL THAT WE....THAT WE...STILL ARE HOPEFUL...AND..."

The usual jovial brother could feel his entire face crumbling slowly. 

"WE HAVE FOUND NOTHING..."

He truthfully had come back because the fact that he had lost track of his beloved friend was hurting him more as every hour began to tick by.

6 hours to be exact.

Papyrus though knew everyone was counting on each other now more than ever. This was no time for him to cry.

And yet the thought of anything happening to Frisk..

"I FAILED YOU TODAY MS. TORIEL..."

Papyrus's voice wavered and fell to a rare whisper.

"I failed you and Frisk today your majesty. I am so...sorry..."

Toriel felt more tears pricking at her eyes, but still laid a comforting hand on Papyrus's shoulder.

"You of all people know how important it is to stay hopeful. We will find them soon Papyrus. They always find their way back to us."

Both just needed a good cry at this point. So that is what they did. The two monster's simply clung to each other and allowed their tears to flow.

Overcome with endless "what if"s.

"Toriel darling!"

Mettaton came rushing in to the kitchen with his phone pressed against his ear. Typing into his pager with impossibly quick hand movements.

The robot and Nabstablook had been both been contacting their studios to send out amber alerts, but a text from their reptilian scientist had caused Mettaton to hurry back home.

"Alphys says her tracker will be up and running again soon! She just needs to relocate the satellite she had used the first time and we will have Frisk's location within the hour!"

The motion tracker would be able to locate the smaller human's phone in minutes! All they needed to do now was regroup with everyone.

Toriel and Asgore practically sprinted towards the unfinished lab next door. Forgetting completely about any plans to contact the military or CIA.

Papyrus hastily sent a recall text to Undyne and Sans. Then, without missing a beat, the tall skeleton pecked his metal boyfriend on the cheek.

"WELL DONE METTATON!"

"Darling I really didn't do anything-" 

"NONSENSE! YOU MADE HER MAJESTY HOPEFUL AGAIN! THAT ALONE IS WORTHY OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS'S PRAISE!"

Before the robot could even think to blush, the tall skeleton was literally dragging him out the door.

"HURRY LET US SEE WHERE THE HUMAN HAS GONE!"

It took 20 minutes for everyone to return and gather around the dark screen. It took another 20 minutes for an frantic looking Alphys to announce she was done with the configuring the satellite's firewall.

She made a note to remind NASA they needed a better password other than SP@CE!234.

"I-if Im right, their image w-wont show up like l-last time. H-however we will get a-an immediate signal of w-where Frisk is."

"Whatever you have done is more than enough Alphys. Please just hurry!"

Toriel along with everyone else was content with a location alone.

It was as good as they would get on such short notice.

With a hiss and sizzle of smoke, the yellow lizard monster placed on the final touches. Trying not to panic more over the fact that everyone was counting on this device to work.

"O-okay. The satellite s-should be done loading-"

Suddenly an entire blue tinted graph appeared on the large screen. It was the geographic landscape of the town they were all in.

For a second nothing moved.

And then a faint beeping could be heard through the tense air.

The group breath was collectively released.

Alphys quickly typed in a few new data codes and watched along with the family as the location zoomed in once.

Twice.

Three times.

The beeping got louder.

"There! Over by that darker zone."

Undyne saw the blinking light first. It was in the shape of a red heart.

They all felt their spirits leap when they saw it was moving about.

Frisk was moving. Or at least their phone was moving despite being turned off. 

Whether or not the child was still with it or even moving on their own free will remained to be seen.

Zooming in even more, Alphys punched in a series of numbers and symbols. The image was getting closer and closer. In a second she'd be able to pinpoint-

Suddenly the typing stopped as Alphys's hands froze. Stiff as a board.

Her eyes were locked on what she saw.

Sans rushed besides the monitor and peered over her shoulder.

"i dont get it? what's wrong! its just a dark blob and the big spike going up?"

The reptilian monster turned to face the skeleton with wide eyes. Her voice suddenly not stuttering, but instead filled with fear.

"The blob means below sea level...And the spike is Mt. Ebott...Frisk is back in the underground."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be sure to leave a comment of what you guys think about the story or what is gonna happen! Thanks for reading


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be sure to let me know what you all think so far!

Everything was just like last time.

The off limits signs that were scattered through out the path, worn down and faded over time. The rusted over hiking benches where humans had once been brave enough to venture. The occasional lonely tune from a stray bird that had flown far away from the town below.

Nothing had changed.

It all was the same. 

Even Frisk was the same. Just as desperate to run away as last time. Just as alone.

The human did admit though, their improvised revisit to Mt. Ebott had allowed them plenty of time to think. 

They considered the pros and cons of their disappearance. Thought about how worried everyone probably was back home...

No, Frisk shook away the thought.

This was for the best. There was no point in thinking otherwise. There was still hope.

That is if who Frisk was searching for was still in the Underground, there might still be a chance after all.

The only variable being that if he was still there, would he be willing to help?

The chance alone that their friend might have a solution yet, had laid down a new drive of determination. 

There was still one person, one celestial being, one final resource Frisk had left to confide in.

Their "old pal" who remained as the only chance the human had to finding answers.

Asriel Dreemurr.

Frisk peered down into the familiar abyss. This time it would be no tree root that sealed away their fate. No clumsy act on their part.

It would be the human's own choice to descend and never return.

With closed eyes, Frisk horsed out a near silent goodbye before jumping in feet first.

.  
.  
.

Turns though, out how you fall in proved to be pointless. The human face planted regardless. 

Thankfully on top of a large bed of soft yellow flowers that took away all of the impact.

Just like last time.

Not wasting any time to consider their repeated luck, Frisk hurried off towards the open space they knew laid only a room away.

Where they had first met Flowey.

Soon enough the child was able to reopen the wide arching doors that had been sealed off. Asriel, they mused, must have shut them after Frisk had left along with everyone else.

Now having felt a surge of determination rattle in their soul, the human peered inside of the minimally lit cavern.

Then nearly dropped in relief at the sight before them.

Their long lost friend was the only thing in the open end of the dark room. And true to his parting words, Asriel had reverted back into Flowey's form.

Only this time he was facing away from the entrance. No longer expecting or waiting for another prey to kill.

The small human moved quietly. Barely rustling even a single flower before leaning down to kneel before the Dreemurr child.

"Whoever you are, Im going to give you to the count of five to leave before I...Frisk?!"

Startled, the reincarnated prince appeared shocked and also appalled to see Frisk.

He had sensed a life form, but never expected the human to ever return to this accursed place.

"What the hell are you doing back here?"

The flower's voice was as cynical as ever, but the words held no real malice. Only concern.

Asriel seemed to have kept more control over his soul than last time. Or at least enough so Flowey couldn't try and murder Frisk again.

Breathing softly with scared eyes, Frisk took a minute before swallowing.

Talking hurt. Talking made every nerve in their throat burn. Talking got them in trouble. Talking was bad for medical and personal reasons.

But this was one of the few times speech appeared mandatory.

"...Do you...'member it?"

"Did you snap or something Frisk? I have no clue what your croaking about, but-"

The human slammed their small hand into the soil. Both from frustration and pain. There was barely a sound. Yet the message was clear.

They weren't playing games. There was no time.

"...The past...Asriel....do you...."

For once the flower decided not to snap back. The genuine worry for his friend outweighed any remaining snark.

"Frisk I don't understand."

"Do...do you 'member...what I did...to everyone...what i did...to you."

Realization dawned on the flower like the sunrise he would never see. Turning yellow petals downwards, to portray a look of weariness, Asriel refused to meet Frisk's eyes.

"It's kinda hard to forget. Getting chopped to pieces I mean..."

It wasn't meant to sound so negative. But then again there was no real positive way either.

The truth hurt the human worse than any wound. More than Undyne's spears, more than Toriel's fire, More than San's Gaster Blasters.

The truth felt like someone had slowly ripped a knife straight through their soul.

Somewhere deep within themselves, the human had been hoping that they were wrong. The entire climb up Mt. Ebott had been filed with small and fleeting bursts of hopeful theories.

That Asriel would say its impossible, that Asriel would tell them their insane for believing such a thing, that Asriel would assure Frisk that there was never a time or place or even a Chara to fear.

No.

No Asriel confirmed that Frisk truly had been grasping at straws. Pitiful nonexistent straws.

They had committed the mass genocide...and allowed Chara to overwhelm them. They had laughed. They had smiled. They had whiped the dust off of their knife and moved on endlessly into a never ending nightmare.

Frisk could just practically hear the shrill cackling from the back of their mind.

Suddenly feeling weaker than they ever had before, the child pulled their knees up to their chin and despaired. 

They wanted to ask more questions, but loathed the idea of ever hearing the answers. 

However it wasn't like they had anywhere else to be...or any where left to go.

"What...caused it?"

Asriel moved his leaves as though trying to straighten up. He had to be honest now more than ever.

"Determination most likely."

The flower allowed his eyes to peer over at the shaken human.

"Whether or not you believe me, you never gave up because of your need to win. You reset after every loss, and tried and tried until you finally came out on top. Until the only ones left were you and Chara."

"But..."

Deepening their voice in a typical Flowey fashion, Asriel focused in Frisk with a mocking glare.

"What you never meant to? You tried to fight it? You were only listening to Chara?! It doesn't change anything. You murdered everyone. You sought them out and waited. There was no mercy. There was nothing, but your choices."

Wiping away at the tears that were suddenly falling from their eyes, Frisk sobbed silently for a moment. Giving Asriel enough time to reign Flowey back in and soften his face back to normal.

"I-if...why reset?...why go back if I won?"

The reincarnated Dreemurr shrugged.

"Who knows...there were so many restarts I lost count. A lot of good ones, neutral ones, even more than one murderous one. You killed us all so many times Frisk. Sometimes I never knew why..."

The small human nearly threw up right then and there.

Asriel didn't blame them. They probably would have too if their soul was still 100% intact.

"...im so sorry Asr-"

"Don't be...Flowey or...I did the same thing."

Frisk peered down at their friend. Eyebrows drawn together in worry. The flower was crying. Softly and with actual remorse.

"Before you fell in, I controlled the resets and saves. I saved everyone, I killed everyone, I tried different patterns, I reloaded my favorite moments. I deleted my failures...all because I was bored with my time. All because I was curious."

Pausing slightly, Asriel turned away. His voice darkening again.

"I ruined everyone's lives so many times. And I gave them their happy endings. I though I was so content just pretending..."

He laughed with no real humor. Lost in his own insanity for a moment. Flowey didn't like being reminded of the past anymore than Frisk did.

"I COULDN'T FEEL A THING! Not even a drop of emotion...When you came here though I lost everything. You suddenly had control. You reset and reset and reset. I begged for mercy so many times, but it was never enough. Just as Im sure this time won't be enough for you Frisk."

The human remained silent. Before their suddenly monotone voice echoed throughout the cavern.

"Why did I reset...if everyone was happy..."

Flowey's sudden overwhelmingly loud tone scared the small human back into silence.

"You think this is the first time you received a happy ending? This isn't even close. You've reset so many times. Just. For. Fun."

Asriel or whoever was in control currently was becoming aggravated and desperate. It was showing in the way their petals bristled and clenched.

Frisk felt nauseous.

Their throat nearly raw with having spoken and cried so much.

And yet they were starting to see it again. The deja vu. The memories. The deaths. The sunset.

Chara.

They saw every reset, some were for amusement, some desperation, even a few that were out of pure guilt and the need to forget.

That one especially made Frisk think of right now.

"...who else knows."

Asriel suddenly sounded calm and in command again. Seemingly back in charge of whatever power struggle he had just endured with Flowey

"Sometimes you would talk to that comedian and he'd tell you the truth. Sometimes you'd reach the conclusion on your own. You've never come down here to ask me about the resets until this time actually."

The Dreemurr child smiled with no real humor.

"I wonder why that is."

Morbid just like Flowey, but saddened and genuinely scared like Asriel. It was hauntingly split between both voices.

Feeling the weight of their sins on their back, the small human pressed their head onto their knees. Wrapping their arms around their bent legs so that they appeared even smaller than before.

"How...do you...and Sans 'member all of this..."

"Ironically it always happened after you won. When you would kill me it would all flash before my eyes as I died. When you would mercy them all, I only ever saw the past once the last monster crossed the barrier."

His voice softened.

"I don't know how the skeleton knows. But I remember him trying to kill you more than once and mentioning that it never felt easier on him. He would even hold back sometimes, begging you to drop the knife before-"

"Please...stop"

"He'd wait in the Hall of Judgement for hours on end just mumbling and wondering how many times you were going to keep coming back-"

"Asriel. Stop..."

Frisk had heard enough.

The tiny human could see it all so perfectly just like Asriel had said. Every timeline, every route, every murder, every mercy. It all was there, they just had blocked it out.

Because they knew they didn't deserve to live a happy ending with all of the guilt racking up against their heart. They knew why even their pacifist routes ended in restarts.

Asriel frowned deeply.

"You came down here to waste away down here to wait out death didn't you? Just so you could let your family live happily."

The child nodded slowly with no shame from being caught. It had seemed like a good idea...

"You don't get it?! The second you die, you'll come back again. The only options are to keep the cycle going Frisk. There is no second chance here!"

Suddenly standing the human could feel their face fall back into the emotionless mask they hadn't worn since the very beginning.

Asriel was wrong and they knew it. 

They would rather spend eternity trapped in the black nothingness along with Chara than have anyone suffer because of them again.

Raising their hand with determination in mind, Frisk pulled before themselves two familiar options.

Each glowing within a clear white box.

SAVE

RESET

And right to the top right corner there was exactly what Frisk needed.

QUIT

Let someone else find a happy ending for their family. Let another child hold this power. Frisk had no determination left to give after so many cycles.

Asriel didn't even bother to watch what would happen next.

"You know if you do this Flowey will take over again. I can't promise I'll be able to see you again Frisk."

The human smiled pitifully. 

"Do me a favor then...kill me quickly....if I ever come back again..."

How odd would it be to see from far away. A small human holding up a magical option board that controlled the universe. Speaking to a weeping flower whom they had just asked to take their life so long as it would keep the ones they wouldn't even remember alive.

How very odd indeed.

Just as Frisk's trembling hand reached out to touch the fateful button, a sudden burst of fire shot out and knocked them off balance. Canceling the screen.

"Frisk!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

"Frisk!"

The human and Asriel turned around quickly.

Both knew that voice.

Another shot barely managed to graze the air besides Frisk's chest before a tall white furred monster came into view. The monster's steps echoed like canon fire against the cavern's walls.

Asriel was gone.

"FRISK!"

Toriel.

The human could never recall ever once being so scared to see their wonderful guardian.

Frisk bent down quickly to avoid another round of fire. One singed the very edges of their beloved stripped sweater.

It was clear immediately that each strike was aimed directly at the screen the human was holding. The goat mother was trying to destroy it, if only for a few seconds.

What Toriel didn't realize is that no power on earth could stop the screen from reappearing upon Frisk's command.

The goat mother was merely buying herself seconds at best...

"My child STOP!"

A familiar sense of dread welled up with Frisk's body as millions of worst case scenarios began to filter into their mind. 

Chara could still come back and convince them to kill. Or worse the demon could delay the resets all together and cause the pacifist route to turn genocidal in seconds. If they were able to kill everyone in the underground what would stop Chara from going after humanity as a whole?! 

And worse still, if Toriel got too close the battle screen would appear and overrun the save options. Ending all of Frisk's chances of a QUIT.

The human hurried away from the quickly approaching goat mom.

"Wait! Frisk please-"

An ariel strike of blue bones fell upon Frisk mid step.

By pure instinct the tiny child froze. Allowing the warm sensation to filter past their body until the bones had safely bled into the ground. Leaving them unharmed.

Another familiar voice filled the deep void.

"HUMAN! PLEASE THE GREAT PAPYRUS BEGS ON YOU! DO NOT CLICK UPON YOUR MAGICAL CONTROL KEYS!"

Frisk wanted to scream. Toriel being there was already bad enough. But now they had to face off against Papyrus as well?

A bone barely missed the human's face by inches. 

Seemed like no one was holding back anymore. 

Frisk used their small stature to their advantage, and dodged both oncoming monsters. 

They ran towards the large double doors. The only option now would be to head back towards the area where they had fallen into. It was bigger and probably had more room to weave through. But it was also a dead end. 

A laugh that chilled the human's skin to the bone called from the far recesses of their mind.

No no more battles. No more mercy, no more killing, no more anything! This was the end, the human was sure of it. All it would take is one single push...

Frisk pulled the screen back up. In a few seconds none of them would remember a thing.

A sudden spear and a mechanical hand caused the child to abruptly slide to the side. Their shoulder collided harshly with the corner of the door frame.

Pain radiated as though a fright train had smashed into them.

"My word! You holligan you almost stabbed them!"

"I ain't the one who tried to robochop their neck in two!"

The arguing and splintering ache in their shoulder caused all of Frisk's thoughts to completely halt. Thankfully their screen was spared fro shattering.

The options shinned brightly against the yellow glow of Flowey's flower beds.

Three oncoming green spears cut off the human's hand movement. Instead Frisk was forced to duck and weave away from the sharp projectiles.

"YO! Punk what the heck are ya doing?! Stop trying to hit that stupid button!"

"Darling please let's talk about this!"

Mettaton sent a purple attack towards the screen's reflective hue. Frisk, seeing no other option, dropped to the floor.

Miraculously the action came at the perfect time, for a blue bone ended up missing the human's head. 

Instead Papyrus's signature move slammed directly into both Undyne and Mettaton. Knocking each one flat on their backs.

The duo's attention fell away from Frisk, as the distressed Undyne began to shout.

"What the heck Pap?!"

"NYEH HEH -OH WAIT! I'M SO SORRY YOU TWO I WAS AIMING FOR THE HUMAN'S SCREEN!"

Frisk used Undyne's sudden cries of outrage as a chance to run directly through Papyrus's legs and back towards Asriel's chamber.

A second later, an unforeseen red triton thrusted through their options. 

The screen fizzled into darkness.

Asgore who was mere few feet away looked apologetic as ever. Even one step forward and his battle would commence undoubtably.

"We have come so far Frisk please let us help you."

The human moved to pull back just as the former king stepped forward.

Then out of seemingly nowhere all of Asgore's fur poofed up from an electrical surge. The large goat monster's triton fell away from his zapped grasp as a hiss of smoke puffed from the top of his head.

The human turned to see Alphys, a few steps behind them both, holding a strange looking device and staring mortified at her action.

"I-I was aiming- for t-the reset- I-Im so sorry Asg-"

Frisk darted towards the exit leading towards Toriel's trap filled entrance way. 

If they made it there they were sure they could outrun everyone. They could QUIT so long as they didn't run into anymore-

"heh..."

A familiar feeling stilled all of Frisk's movements.

Peering down, the human could see that their soul was no longer glowing with a vibrant shade of red. Instead it gave off a blue glow that shinned past each stripe on their wool sweater.

Frisk felt their feet slowly raise off the ground. Before them stood two gaster blasters and a very unhappy glowing blue eye.

"...thought we agreed to not have any more bad times kiddo?"


	7. Chapter 7

The option screen was gone. 

In its place the familiar FIGHT ACT ITEM MERCY choices. The hovering child's battle was with Sans now. 

And what made it all worse yet?

The smaller skeleton had the first move.

No quitting, no running, no escape. Frisk was completely trapped.

The human began to shake, with anger or fear, it could not be said. 

Slowly, the blue hooded brother stepped closer towards his opponent. His boney hand remained high enough to keep the child's feet off the ground.

"ya know. i really am curious."

A wave of magic pulled at Frisk's soul, turning them forcibly to float just a few inches above Sans head. Suddenly two large Gaster Blasters appeared out of the darkness. Each creature glared with sickening smiles that mimicked their master's.

The smaller skeleton lowered his voice to a whisper.

"are you really frisk...or is chara back?"

The human nearly threw up at the reminder of their "companion". Their identical supposed friend who had taken over their soul all those routes ago.

Frisk shoke their head.

It was them.

They were no one else. Nevermind disgusting weight of their sins that lied along their back. 

They were the puppet she used, but not Chara herself.

Sans still didn't seem to accept the response though.

"why come all the way down here then huh? Ya never did this in any other route."

The skeleton's eyes became darker then the Ruin's void.

"no pacifist frisk resets unless chara makes them. i know how this game works kid."

His tone held a clear threat. Almost daring the child to try and lie. 

Frisk had nearly forgotten. Asriel said "the comedian" had known about the resets. Sans remembered each and every other timelines. 

He alone carried the burden of never forgetting what Frisk could only handle for less then a day.

It was no wonder that he didn't trust them right now.

Frisk moved his hands to sign along side of their soft unused voice.

"N-not...Chara."

Sans allowed his hand to jerk the child a little closer towards his Gaster Blasters.

"you're gonna have to be a lot more convincing then that kiddo..."

"Telling truth...you-re all...safer underground...than with me..."

The human felt themselves being lowered suddenly. Not completely to the ground, but at a way more comfortable distance away from the ominous monstrosities behind Sans.

The skeleton narrowed his sockets.

"what's that suppose to mean?"

"No reset...q-quitting."

Sans's left eye suddenly burst to life with a blue flame.

Not out of anger or outrage, but what could almost be mistaken as...fear.

"...it's really you isn't it?

The human nodded. 

There was only so much they could do to plead innocent. And considering what Sans had seen?

He had every right to distrust them.

The Gaster Blasters vanished.

Sans seemed to be thinking hard about his next words, yet at the same time the flame engulfing his left socket still refused to lessen in its intensity.

"if its you kid, then why are ya trying so hard to res-...to quit?"

Frisk could feel their blue colored soul nearly twitch along the forsaken word. As though Sans himself was struggling to say it.

"...You know...what I did...before..." 

A bitter moment fell upon them both. 

From the shaddows came everyone who had walked in to hear them talk moments ago. Each, save for Alphys, struggled to understand what Frisk meant.

"SANS? WHAT IS THE HUMAN SPEAKING OF?"

The smaller skelton looked torn for a moment. 

"Paps. Just...let me handle this okay bro?"

Toriel stepped forward.

"My child, what is going on? That screen you held before. Sans said it could send us back to the Underground?"

The human refused to meet their goat mother's eyes. 

Instead Frisk merely looked into Sans sockets. Pleading. Begging. Nearly crying for him to forfiet his turn and allow them to MERCY out. 

To let them just end it.

Or at the very least put them back on the ground.

The skelton seemed to understand, but not in the way the human had hoped.

"kid you gotta be pretty sick to think im gonna let you end a pacifist ending. Especially if youre not...you know."

"...Chara."

Despite being a sociopathic demon, Chara had been the only true companion Frisk had been able to keep on their travels. 

In every timeline.

Chara was the one Asriel had seen them as and obsessed over keeping in the Underground. Chara was the one who gave Frisk their red tinted soul filled with determination.Evil or not, Chara was never truly gone.

And Frisk had no reason to fear speaking her name.

Toriel and Asgore though had recoiled physically at their former child's name. Each felt like they had been struck across the face.

"My child...what do you know of Chara?"

Toriel sounded almost hopeful.

While the former king was nearly besides himself.

"Is she alright?! Have you seen her young one?"

The human shook their head slowly. Had their feet been touching the ground they might have even kicked at the dirt below themselves.

It wasn't fair to force the two royals to relive their heartbreak over Chara.

But at the same time there was no use left in lying.

"Same heart...but not good. She's here..."

The human pointed towards their still blue colored heart. 

A voice in the back of their mind almost saddened rather then malovent for once.

The blue of Sans attack started to fade slightly. Frisk and the skeleton knew he was running out of steam.

"Sans...Im tired..."

"kid...you choose good this time. were all happy with you. why ruin that over what you cant forgive?"

Frisk felt Sans special attack finally dissolve. They fell to the ground with a soft thud. 

Frisk hit the MERCY at an alarmig speed. Sans was too worn out to try and contiue. His 1 HP nearly at it's limit.

The human's screen lit up.

You Won! You earned 0 xp and 0 gold. 

Upon the battle ending, Undyne and Papyrus rushed to duo's aid. But the child immidiately backed away. Drawing up the option screen.

Their hand immidiaely drew upwards. Almost daring any one to stop them.

Alphys carefully lowered her shock generator to the ground and raised her hands in a non threatening way. The rest followed in suit.

"F-frisk we just wanna talk okay? Y-you can explain."

"YES HUMAN PLEASE! ALLOW US ALL TO HELP YOU AND THIS CHARA PERSON!"

"Come on punk, I...we don't wanna fight."

Frisk could feel it. The strings connected to the base of their soul were getting tighter with each word. Chara Chara Chara she was upset now. Upset and yelling. 

No where near loud enough to gain control, but enough of a burden to draw the human's hand closer to the quit button.

"My child please let us all-"

The human cut Toriel off.

"I...I saw it. You all... begged for mercy."

Everyone but Sans appeared hurt and confused at the child's voice. The way they spoke so softly and with rage.

"We both watched...I did nothing...she was so...so angry."

The internal voice inside of Frisk became silent. As though reliving the other timelines through every word.

"We saw it all...we met you all...so many times....I watched...As. You. All. Died...What kind of person does that?!"

Frisk's feeble voice cracked and shook with every raised word. Their mostly unused throat growing raw quickly.

They slammed their hands against their head hard enough for Toriel and Sans to consider rushing in to restart another battle. Just for their safety. For their benefit!

They all were too damn nice.

"Please...let me save you..."

Frisk waited, eyes closed. Allowing any one of them to take their best shot at them before the end. It didn't matter who it would come from, they were more then entitled to seek their revenge.

"go ahead...it'll be over soon."

Frisk waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Until finally they grew tired of standing still just staring at thier shoes. Frisk reached forward towards the quit button. Not a single goodbye playing at this lips. 

That's when it hit them.

Not pain or fire or bones or lightning or spear. But two arms which wrapped themselves around the small human's frame.

It was Toriel. She was hugging them tightly. Her body having gone straight through the screen and dissolving it into a soft fizzle of static before it faded completely.

"My child...for you to think you are above forgiveness is...beyond foolish."

The goat mother tightened her hold as a single tear fell from her eye.

"You are not who you say you once were. You are Frisk. A kind and gentle soul. Just like Asriel...just like Chara once was. You are okay my child..."

Suddenly another pair of arms joined the hug from Frisk's back. This one much thinner and bonier.

"HUMAN! THE GREAT PAPYRUS AGREES WITH HER MAJESTY! YOU WERE NEVER ONE TO FIGHT AND I DO NOT SEE YOU AS ANY SORT OF MURDEROUS HEATHEN!"

The tall skeleton ruffled the small human's hair as though trying to comfort them in a brotherly way.

"YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND HUMAN! ONE WHO I BELIEVE COULD NEVER DO SUCH THINGS NO MATTER WHAT YOUR MAGIC BUTTONS MAY SAY!"

Another arm swung itself around Papyrus's neck as Undyne began to ruffle the skeleton.

"Yeah! Paps is right punk, we always gotcha back. An if anyone else says different we'll beat the evil right outta them!"

"UNDYNE DO NOT NOOGIE ME!"

Alphys was not far behind as she too joined the hug. Her glasses pressing against the group's right side.

"S-scientifically t-the multiple u-universes are possible. But I-I still think no matter what y-you did h-here was right in the end. So nothing else should m-matter!"

Mettaton's long mechanical arms suddenly encircled everyone.

"Darling you should not EVER feel as though you are anything less than perfectly imperfect! We love you no matter what sweetie."

Asgore too joined in. A respectful distance away from Toriel, but close enough for Frisk to feel his gigantic presence.

"Human you are kind enough for everyone here to see you as a good person. Does that not say something!"

Feeling hot tears tracking down their face, Frisk couldn't help but look over at the last person who had yet to speak.

Sans. The only one who had a substantial reasoning to not comfort them. The one who deserved to walk away right now.

However despite astronomical odds, the skeleton slowly moved to stand besides Papyrus's leg. Softly patting the top of Frisk's head.

"kiddo. ya got a whole family here that thinks your worth more than any number of resets...so how about you stick around a lil longer this time okay?...we can all work on keeping you determined."

They all stayed like that for god knows how long. Neither moving when Frisk finally cracked and sobbed their heart out. No one moved when Frisk began to chant through his stuttered speak "im sorry" over and over again.

None noticed, beside's the small human, when a green root gently raised from the ground below and placed itself overtop of the child's foot. A comforting and not unappreciated gesture.

It would be okay...they all would make it okay.

If not now...eventually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue is next. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

"This is stupid!"

Flowey tried to squirm as far away from Frisk's hand as possible, but given the that his flower pot only allowed so much movement, it was clearly a futile struggle.

"Azzy come on. Mom's waiting!"

"It's just a stupid family dinner. Why do I even have to wear a bowtie?!"

Frisk stuck out their tongue in mockingly as their hands knotted off the last of Flowey's dapper apparel. Now properly dressed the two looked as spiffy as a teenager and a talking flower could be.

"It's not just a dinner! We're celebrating the day you offically came to live with us all! 5 years is a big milestone! Doesn't that make you just the tiniest bit happy?"

"No."

"Then why are you trying not to smile?"

"I AM NOT SMILING!"

The human chuckled before gently moving to hoist Asriel up by his pot. Like a perfected routine, Frisk made sure their friend was facing forward and comfortably at waist level, before moving to leave their shared bedroom.

"Frisk? Asriel? Are you almost ready?"

"Be down soon mom!"

Frisk closed the door softly and rushed to make their way down the staircase. Despite their eagerness to get going, the human couldn't help but watch as countless photos decorating the walls began to move forward like a time reel of the years that had past.

Asriel's official move from the underground to Toriel's house photo.

Sans and Papayrus giving a thumbs up to the camera while an out of breath Asgore and raging Undyne stood besides a broken volleyball net on the beach.

Alphys and Frisk holding up matching science fair winner ribbons for their quantum parallel universe theorem project.

Metraton holding a star eyed Frisk and startled Asriel in a tight robotic group hug.

Napstablook and Papyrus helping Toriel cook on the eve of the thanksgiving where Undyne set the cranberry sauce ablaze.

Frisk's highs school graduation pictures.

It all seemed too surreal sometimes to remember it all. To have expeienced it all in the same lifetime.

"You know...you never made it this far before."

Frisk stopped between the second to last step. Just out of earshot of the kitchen where their family was undoubtedly awaiting Asriel and their's arrival.

"The last time I remember you making it past, hell even two years after the Underground, was hundreds of timelines ago."

"Azzy..."

"I'm not trying to sound impressed or anything. I just...this is the first time you ever brought me back. Back to mom and dad and...uhg I hate calling Sans a step dad it's just too gross."

Frisk had to laugh at that. Remembering quite well how "eventful" the reception had been last year after Toriel and the skeleton's wedding.

"But even so I just. I can't believe you made it 8 years Frisk. It just feels..."

"Unbelievable. I know Azzy."

The young human peeked around the corner to make sure they both still were unseen by any of their family members.

Satisfied the human turned to poke at the flower's side jokingly.

"If you hadn't been so stubborn for the first three years we COULD be celebrating your eight year stay tonight!"

"Please. Five years with this group has traumatized me for more than enough lifetimes."

Frisk smiled almost sadly as they brought Asriel into a tighter hug.

The flower seemed to understand where Frisk's thoughts were headed.

"Oh come on don't be such a wimp. We all agreed not to focus on that any more. You haven't used the screen since that day and Dr. Gaster says that the fact that you're talking more is a good sign."

The young human ran a hand through their longer hair and sighed. Almost sounding as though being reassured by someone else over their own well being was a comfort of sorts.

"Azzy, you and I know what happens when I die...wether it be now or in 80 years-"

"No. No no no! This is a stupid happy night and youre not gonna be all glommy glump damn it!"

The flower began swatting his petals at Frisk's hand as hard, not hard at all, as he could.

"I don't care if it's now or then or somewhere in between. Worrying about the future is pointless when you've got a whole dumb family who cares about you here and now. The past is history so drop it. We are going out there right now and we are going to eat! Im starving and you're going to have fun or I swear I'll get Papyrus to sing that stupid Fight Song again like last time! ILL DO IT Frisk!"

A warm smile filtered across the human's face as they reached to pat Asriel's head softly.

Silently thanking them in a way that both could understand completely.

Without further ado, the human stood back up, with Asriel and new determination in hand. The duo moved to step out into the warn lights of the kitchen.

And as per usual Papyrus was more then ready to greet them.

"AH HUMAN! WE HAVE BEEN AWAITING YOU AND ASGORE THE SECOND'S ARRIVAL! COME COME WE MUSTN'T DIDDLE OR DADDLE! OUR RESERVATIONS-"

Undyne suddenly hip bumped Papyrus clear out of the way before bringing her two favorite little friends in for matching noogies. 

Like usual she completely ignored Asriel's hissing.

"Yo punks! Looking snazzy with the matching bowties."

Alphys was quick to pry her wife away before she could mess up the duo's hair/petals too badly. Less they all face the rath of super Toriel in mom mode.

"I swear you are more childish then both of them."

"Ow ow! Babe I give I give! Let go of my fin!"

From across the counter top Sans chuckled and threw a lazy wave over to Frisk and Asriel. Thiugh his focus remained solely on the two lovers besides them.

"got two words for you Undyne. whhii-ppsshhh."

"Like you're one to talk bonehead. Tori had you whipoed way before you two even tied the knot."

Alphys yanked a little harder on Undyne's fin with a scoff.

"Be nice! Paps and Tori are the only reason im not still ducking tail and stuttering every time you start acting up."

The former warrior smiled and placed a confident hand on her wife's shoulder. Easing the yellow hand off of her sore fin.

"Hell yeah those weekly confidence runs ain't for shits and giggles babe! You'd give the former guards a run for their money any day!"

"Language Undyne!"

Toriel's voice suddenly interrupted the couple's banter, as the goat mother moved to help tame Frisk's mused hair and Asriel's ruffled petals.

"Mommmm im 18. Undyne can curse if she wants to."

"I don't care how old you are. You and Asriel are still my children and I will not allow such behavior!"

The flower snickered slightly.

"I don't remember this morality last week when that lady from the PTA, Helen, tried to insult your brownies mom."

A dark look came over both Sans and Toriel's faces as the memory of the Helen War flashed like a tramatic battle.

The goatmother leveled her children with a half joking half i will end her if I ever see her again look.

"We do not say that name in this house."

Papyrus tilted his boney head quizzically.

"VOLDEMORT?"

"nah bro. we don't say Helen."

"I CAN'T SEEM TO RECALL A WIZARD NAMED HELEN IN ANY OF THOSE FASCINATING BOOKS DR. ALPHYS RECOMMENDED."

"trust me paps. she's worse."

The sudden sound of Asgore's laughter rang clear into the kitchen along with the opening and closing of the front door. Moments later the former king stepped forward with his keys in hand.

"I apologize all. My meeting ran late. I'be got the van all set to go and- Oh! Hello Frisk! Asriel happy five years!"

"Hey pops. Now that everyone's here can we go?"

The older goat smiled fondly as he moved to start heading back out the way he came in. Everyone followed behind in step as per usual.

"Of course. Grillby's waits for no man woman or monster! Come along everyone. Let us go celebrate."

Frisk felt a smile crossing over their face along with the leaf over their hand, telking them that Asriel Could sense it too.

Being swuished into a big car. Hearing everyone laugh and chatter, bicker and tease, hold hands with their lovers, and smile at the two youngest like they were the happiest sight to see on the whole Surface.

It was home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Be sure to let me know what you think!


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